Pathmark to Deploy Bottom-of-Basket Scanner in 10 Stores

Pathmark Stores announced yesterday that it will work with Evolution Robotics Retail, Pasadena, Calif., and IBM, Armonk, N.Y., to deploy the LaneHawk Visual Scanning Solution in 10 stores to combat bottom-of-basket (BOB) loss.

Sep 12, 2007

CARTERET, N.J. — Pathmark Stores here announced yesterday that it will work with Evolution Robotics Retail, Pasadena, Calif., and IBM, Armonk, N.Y., to deploy the LaneHawk Visual Scanning Solution in 10 stores to combat bottom-of-basket (BOB) loss. "Having BOB items walk out the door without being paid for is a big — and growing — problem that grocery retailers have tried to address for years,” said Bob Oberosler, senior vice president of asset protection for Pathmark, in a statement. “We went so far as removing the bottom racks from our carts in some of our stores, but this was costing us significant revenue and putting us at a competitive disadvantage. We also tested other devices to alert the cashiers to BOB items, but none of these other approaches worked.” Pathmark said that in its prior use of LaneHawk, it has been able to reduce BOB shrink by 90%, resulting in approximately a 50 basis point improvement in grocery shrink. The 10 stores will begin implementation this month.